Bought an M36a2, eventual Crew Cab build.

[CBR Metalworks]

EDITED:

No longer going to try and use an Eaton 9 speed, after getting the Deuce in my possession I see just how tight quarters things are under there!

I will be re-centering 5-ton beadlocks with 46's to run on this, eventually plan to make it a crew cab and run a 12' or 14' bed. I don't want to bob the frame since it is a somewhat rare LWB truck, and I'd like to have a useable bed (to haul my off-road rig), even a 14' bed would be tight for that.

Some specs on the deuce, I bought it from a friend.

10/1968 M36a2
Hercules Multifuel dated 1991
soon to have a new-to-it 5 speed
soon to have new air pack/master cylinder (maybe an A3 dual circuit upgrade?)
soon to have 5-ton beadlocks and 46's
matching 10/1968 trailer

Paid $3800 (including $300 to tow it to my house), hopefully that wasn't too high of a price considering it came with the trailer and 46's/beadlocks, what do ya'll think?

 

[SCSG-G4]

The M-36 I have has a regular LDT-465, not the LDS version, so, No, it does NOT have the more powerful engine. Some might because there was a need for an engine swap, and an LDS was handy, while the LDT's were not. Anything can (and probably did) happen.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

Yea I figured the engine HP thing might not be something that happened 100% of the time. I also finally found where a guy was talking about doing an Eaton-Fuller in a Deuce and it seems it might be way too big of a tranny.

 

[eagle4g63]

If you get the truck just pick up a good 5 speed take out.....they are plentiful enough. And if I remember correctly the 5th gear is also a 1.00 ratio so the Eaton won't give you any advantage on the top end. If you really want to get an overdrive, there is a company out that makes a new 5th gear for the deuce trans, it is a .69 ratio so a true overdrive.......it is a little salty though, in the $1,400.00 range.

 

[m-35tom]

If you get the truck just pick up a good 5 speed take out.....they are plentiful enough. And if I remember correctly the 5th gear is also a 1.00 ratio so the Eaton won't give you any advantage on the top end. If you really want to get an overdrive, there is a company out that makes a new 5th gear for the deuce trans, it is a .69 ratio so a true overdrive.......it is a little salty though, in the $1,400.00 range.

salty? hardly, compared to new wheels and tires! well anyway, 5th behind a multifuel is always a 3053 which is overdrive, even if not much. no other trans will fit without serious redesign of the truck. are you sure you really want a m-36? got a parking lot to turn it around in? anyway the EF 9 sp would be a step in the wrong direction.

 

[SCSG-G4]

An M-36 does not take a whole parking lot, just half, to turn around. Actually the wheelbase is only about 2.5-3 feet longer than the deuce, but the tailgate is usually in the next county. It's better than the 814, where the tailgate is in another time zone.

 

[welldigger]

salty? hardly, compared to new wheels and tires! well anyway, 5th behind a multifuel is always a 3053 which is overdrive, even if not much. no other trans will fit without serious redesign of the truck. are you sure you really want a m-36? got a parking lot to turn it around in? anyway the EF 9 sp would be a step in the wrong direction.

By the time I bought 7 a3 wheels, had them powder coated, and bought 395's and o-rings I have about $3,300 in it. That's where I'm at now and they aren't even mounted to the truck yet. Tom's kit suddenly seems a lot more affordable by comparison.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

By the time I bought 7 a3 wheels, had them powder coated, and bought 395's and o-rings I have about $3,300 in it. That's where I'm at now and they aren't even mounted to the truck yet. Tom's kit suddenly seems a lot more affordable by comparison.

With that said I am feeling pretty good about what I paid. $3,500 for the trailer, 46's with bead locks, and the deuce. I am just going to do the 5 speed though. Found one a couple hours away for $400 (maybe less)

 

[welldigger]

That's not a bad deal at all. I forgot to mention that I got one heck of a deal on everything I mentioned. I could have easily paid much more.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

That said though, the 46's I got are probably 1/2 tread or less, and I will be converting the 5-ton bead locks, I know the A3 bead locks are expensive.

 

[welldigger]

That said though, the 46's I got are probably 1/2 tread or less, and I will be converting the 5-ton bead locks, I know the A3 bead locks are expensive.

A3 wheels are expensive in comparison to other wheels. But, by the time you buy or make adapter plates and hardware to mount them it equals out to be about the same money. I lucked out and got a smoking deal on my wheels and tires. The powder coating was a chunk of money that was totally optional. My wheels look great though and I believe the durability of powder coat will pay off in the long run since my wheels were coated inside and out.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

From what I have found the M35A3 dual circuit brake system is pretty much a bolt-on? I can get a complete setup, both air packs, master cylinder, brackets, pedal, etc for $530 shipped. I am thinking jump on that right?

 

[CBR Metalworks]

And what should I ask for an unknown condition brake air pack, and a leaking master cylinder? I am going guess the master cylinder might as well be trashed since a new one is about $90. The guy I bought it from said the brakes used to work good (less than a year ago), but it sat for awhile and then he could not get them to build pressure. I found the master cylinder was badly leaking, so the air pack may still be fine but I don't know.

 

[welldigger]

I would jump in the a3 stuff for that price. Your old MC can be rebuilt so don't trash it. Though they aren't worth a ton of money. Keep your airpak. It can be used with the a3 stuff if one air pack goes bad. Also, if you buy the a3 stuff don't forget to get the remote reservoir that mounts to the firewall under the hood.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

If I can buy two of the A3 brake setups should I? I could resell one of them but not sure what I should ask. Comes with both air packs, pedal and bracket, reservoir, master, hoses/lines. Would be nice to buy both if I could easily sell one for $750?

 

[camoyj7]

I sold all my A3 brake set up for $275 + shipping.

 

[bigginstactical]

He is talking about the price of the 5th gear kit not the package price of the truck being salty.

If you get the truck just pick up a good 5 speed take out.....they are plentiful enough. And if I remember correctly the 5th gear is also a 1.00 ratio so the Eaton won't give you any advantage on the top end. If you really want to get an overdrive, there is a company out that makes a new 5th gear for the deuce trans, it is a .69 ratio so a true overdrive.......it is a little salty though, in the $1,400.00 range.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

Got the A3 brake setup, I have not found a write-up on doing the conversion so I might do one. Also bought a transmission for $180, it had the PTO setup on the side, how much should I sell that for?

I think I am going to mount the fuel tank under the bed behind the rear axles (since I have a long frame there is plenty of room), remove both side boxes, mount the batteries above rear driveshaft in the section in front of air tanks. This will give me that big monster truck look, I will probably make some sort of step to get in. As for the CC conversion, I am going to (eventually) do a LONG CC, so I can use the cab to sleep in as well (make the seats fold down to a bed). Even stretching the CC out a couple feet will still leave me with about a 12' bed.

I am currently tearing the new trans apart to clean it and put new seals on it.

 

[CBR Metalworks]

Well, I found where 3rd gear went to... I took the broken transmission that had recently been rebuilt and took some of the new parts and put in the transmission I had bought, got it put in the Deuce a few days ago. That is a job to do by yourself in a gravel driveway...

 

[CBR Metalworks]

As fast as they come, they are for sale... I just bought a 91' 5 Ton so I am going to sell the Deuce. I hate to sell it because it would be a sweet long wheelbase rig with a crew cab, but 290hp vs. 134hp, and power steering will be much easier to drive.